Ecclesiastes 4
1 I thought some more about all the suffering that people are caused to experience on the earth [MTY]. I saw the tears of people who were (oppressed/treated cruelly) and who had no one to comfort/encourage them. Those who oppressed them had power, and there was absolutely no one who was able to comfort those who were being oppressed.
Nang magkagayo'y pumihit ako, at aking nakita ang lahat na kapighatian na nagawa sa ilalim ng araw: at, narito, ang mga luha ng mga yaon, na napipighati, at wala silang mangaaliw: at sa siping ng mga mamimighati sa kanila ay may kapangyarihan, nguni't wala silang mangaaliw.
2 [So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.
Kaya't aking pinuri ang patay na namatay na, ng higit kay sa may buhay na nabubuhay pa;
3 And those who have not been born yet are more fortunate than those who are still alive and those who have died, [because] those who have not been born have not seen all the evil things that are done on the earth.
Oo, maigi kay sa kanila kapuwa ang hindi ipinanganganak, na hindi nakakita ng masamang gawa na nagawa sa ilalim ng araw.
4 I also thought about all the hard work that people do and the skills that they have. And I thought about how they compete with each other because they are envious of others, [and I concluded that] this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful, [like] chasing the wind.
Nang magkagayo'y nakita ko ang lahat na gawa, at bawa't gawang mainam na dahil dito ay pinananaghilian ang tao ng kaniyang kapuwa. Ito man ay walang kabuluhan at nauuwi sa wala.
5 Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
Inihahalukipkip ng mangmang ang kaniyang mga kamay, at kumakain ng kaniyang sariling laman.
6 [So I say], “It is better to be content with not having much money, than to work very hard and try to get a lot of money, which is [as useless as] chasing the wind.”
Maigi ang isang dakot na may katahimikan, kay sa dalawang dakot na may kahirapan at walang kabuluhan.
7 I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
Nang magkagayo'y bumalik ako at aking nakita ang walang kabuluhan sa ilalim ng araw.
8 There are men who live alone; they do not have a wife or children or any brothers living with them; every day they work [very hard], without stopping, to get a lot of money, but they are never satisfied with the things that they have. They never ask [themselves], “Why am I working very hard to earn more money? Why am I not doing things that would cause me to be happy?” What they do also seems senseless.
May isa na nagiisa, at siya'y walang pangalawa; oo, siya'y walang anak o kapatid man; gayon ma'y walang wakas sa lahat niyang gawa, ni nasisiyahan man ang kaniyang mga mata sa mga kayamanan. Dahil kanino nga, sabi niya, nagpapagal ako, at binabawahan ko ang aking kaluluwa ng mabuti? Ito man ay walang kabuluhan, oo, mahirap na damdam.
9 Having someone [work] with you is better than being by yourself [all the time]. If you have a friend, he can help you to do your work.
Dalawa ay maigi kay sa isa; sapagka't sila'y may mabuting kagantihan sa kanilang gawa.
10 If you fall down, he can help you get up again. But if you fall down when you are alone, it will be difficult for you, because there will be no one to help you stand up.
Sapagka't kung sila'y mabuwal, ibabangon ng isa ang kaniyang kasama; nguni't sa aba niya, na nagiisa pagka siya'y nabuwal, at walang iba na magbangon sa kaniya.
11 Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
Muli, kung ang dalawa ay mahigang magkasama, may init nga sila: nguni't paanong makapagpapainit ang isa na nagiisa?
12 Someone who is alone can easily be attacked and defeated by another person, but two people can help each other and (resist/defend themselves against) someone who attacks them. [Three people can defend themselves even more easily], [like] a rope that is made from three cords is harder to break [than a rope made from two cords].
At kung ang isang tao ay manaig laban sa kaniya na nagiisa, ang dalawa ay makalalaban sa kaniya; at ang panaling tatlong ikid ay hindi napapatid na madali.
13 A young man who is poor but wise is a better person than a foolish old king who refuses to pay attention when people try to give him good advice.
Maigi ang dukha at pantas na bata kay sa matanda at mangmang na hari, na hindi nakakaalam ng pagtanggap ng payo pa.
14 It is possible for a young man like that to succeed and some day become king, even if his parents were poor or even if he was in prison some of the time.
Sapagka't mula sa bilangguan ay lumabas siya upang maghari; oo, sa kaniyang kaharian nga ay ipinanganak siyang dukha.
15 But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
Aking nakita ang lahat na may buhay, na nagsisilakad sa ilalim ng araw, na sila'y kasama ng bata, ng ikalawa, na tumatayo na kahalili niya.
16 Large crowds of people crowd around him. But after a few years, they will reject him, [too]. So it is all senseless, [like] chasing after the wind.
Walang wakas sa lahat ng bayan, sa makatuwid baga'y sa lahat na pinaghaharian niya: gayon ma'y silang darating pagkatapos ay hindi mangagagalak sa kaniya. Tunay na ito man ay walang kabuluhan at nauuwi sa wala.
